Lithium-ion rechargeable battery based on nanostructures

• US 20060216603A1
• Filed: 03/26/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Enable IPC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Enable Ipc
• Inventors: Choi, Sung H.
• Application Number:
  US11/089,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20060216603A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/231.950
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/028 Positive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0402 Methods of deposition of the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0426 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0438 by electrochemical processing electroless electrochemical plating C23C18/54
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0452 from solutions
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/131 Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1391 of electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A nanowire-based Li-ion rechargeable battery having superior performance with little capacity fade for use in applications including consumer electronics and medical devices is made by incorporating nanowire construction of the cathode. The nanowire-based battery system includes a nanostructured high surface area cathode structure fabricated by electrodeposition using alumina nanopore templates.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a cathode comprised of nanowires suitable for use in a lithium ion battery;

said nanowires comprised of an electrodeposited lithium oxide; and

said cathode comprised of 10¹⁰ to 10¹² nanowires per square centimeter.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said nanowires have a diameter of about 10 to 200 nanometers.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said lithium oxide is comprised of LiCoO₂ or LiCoNiO₂.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said cathode has a surface area of less than 1000 times the corresponding surface area resulting from the basic geometric shape.

5. A method of making a nanowire structure comprising the steps of:

selecting a cathode material suitable for forming a lithium ion battery;

depositing an aluminum layer on a silicon substrate;

anodizing said aluminum layer to alumina forming a nanopore template comprised of a plurality of nanopores;

widening said nanopores by chemical etching; and

growing nanowires comprised of said cathode material inside said nanopores.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of selecting a lithium ion battery cathode material is selecting LiCoO₂ or LiCoNiO₂.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of depositing an aluminum layer is depositing by e-beam evaporation.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of anodizing an aluminum layer to alumina is forming an alumina layer having a thickness of about 1 to 2 microns.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of forming a nanopore template comprised of a plurality of nanopores is forming nanopores having a diameter of about 10 to 200 nanometers.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of widening said nanopores by chemical etching is etching in phosphoric acid.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of growing nanowires is electrodepositing said cathode material.

12. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of chemical vapor depositing a liquid crystal polymer film on said lithium ion battery.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of ion milling said film.